A conventional media transporting device including a winding mechanism that winds a band-shaped medium into a roll, a tension applying member that can apply tension on the medium by pressing a portion of the medium that is not wound by the winding mechanism by its own weight in a rotating direction having a specific axis line as a center; and a transport controller that controls the transportation of the medium is known (see e.g., Patent Literature 1). The winding mechanism includes a motor that generates power for rotating the wound medium. The tension applying member can also apply tension on the medium when an angle having the specific axis line as the center is at least within a specific range. The transport controller causes the motor to stop the generation of the power for winding the medium with the winding mechanism when the angle of the tension applying member having the specific axis line as the center is within the specific range. The transport controller causes the motor to generate the power for winding the medium with the winding mechanism when the angle of the tension applying member having the specific axis line as the center is outside the specific range. In other words, the media transporting device can continue to apply tension on the medium with the tension applying member by controlling the motor so that the angle of the tension applying member having the specific axis line as the center falls within the specific range.